Redrawing the world with Nia Weinzweig, a Welsh in New Zealand
“I’d put a coat on it”
Nia’s self-portrait in Stewart Island
Nia is the latest #MTJAV guest. After feeling disappointed by her first job in the industry, she started to travel around the world and ended up in New Zealand. Her amazing life story goes through Japan, Nepal, and Stewart Island. But we will also talk about Wales, her drawing (a passion that made her the front page of a kiwi magazine!), Sea lions storming football pitches and golf courses, and much more… Here’s her introductory email:
First, I would like to know a bit more about you. Are you and your family from where you work now? When did you qualify as a vet and why did you choose this profession? Does it run in the family?
I am from Wales and have been living in New Zealand for most of the last 5 years. My family live in Wales, but it didn’t seem so far pre-covid! I studied in Edinburgh and graduated in 2011. Like a lot of other vets, I decided I wanted to be a vet around age 7 mostly because I loved animals, and made it happen. My parents are a physio and a biochemist so a career in science/health profession made sense to me.
Picture from the Hut in Stewart Island
Then, I would like you to tell me about your day. What’s a normal day at work for you? Do you work independently, for a private firm or for the government?
At the moment a normal day can be many different things! I last worked in clinical practice in October 2020 and had a few breaks before that too while I was figuring out what to do next. I’ve realised I actually like having multiple projects and jobs on the go. My current summer job is a conservation field role where I am helicoptered into a remote hut with a small team and spend 8 days at a time monitoring southern new Zealand dotterels (https://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/new-zealand-dotterel ) and setting traps for invasive predators ( feral cats are the biggest problem for this species so I have mixed feelings about this).
Other “normal days” would be :
o Cycling to uni in Dunedin along the harbour, studying for the day (MSc Ecology), going to the bouldering gym with friends and cycling home
o Contract invasive predator control in the forest reserves around Dunedin as part of NZ’s Predator Free 2050 goal https://predatorfreenz.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA_c-OBhDFARIsAIFg3ewVh0NgwB2y1ABVVf4FQxd8pOaW-BXL0CkRYnp5j-GLJ_WY2mXBjooaAlN1EALw_wcB
Dotterel pic taken by Nia
In February I’ll be catching up with friends and going on some mountaineering trips before going back to studying in early March. My MSc research project will be looking at the parasites and pathogens in faecal samples from sea lions living around Dunedin.
What are the constraints of your work? Are they lack medicine, transport, funds or instruments, or infrastructure? Or are your worries totally different? I’m guessing in NZ you must have good access to anything you need. Or is that presumption misplaced?
o My current role’s downsides are being out of contact with the rest of the world around 80% of the time, being based on a tiny island in a very small community, and working in an area exposed to wild weather. The upsides are helicopter rides and spending time in a wild place that few people visit.
o As a student returning to uni a long time after my vet school days I find the financial side of things very stressful, though I’ve been able to find work which still leaves me some brain capacity for studying ( I don’t think vetting would). I also miss dogs a lot and every time I meet one I get ridiculously excited!
o Being a vet in NZ was very similar to the UK, though new medications take longer to arrive here. It’s far less common for owners to have pet insurance here, which means spending a lot of time discussing finances and coming up with creative compromises. The fact that farming is a big industry here also has an impact, even on a small animal vet, as good working farm dogs can be worth $10,000-12,000!
o Some of the reasons I’ve left clinical practice:
o Little to no support as a new graduate, my first few years were fairly traumatic and I lost faith in the profession for a long time
o Constantly balancing my desire to do the best I can for animals and owners, with the needs of my employers to make money, and the funds and facilities available
o Lack of options for career progression
o I really like the science itself, and problem-solving, which in general practice I rarely got to do
o I started teaching myself to be better at cytology and remembered how much I enjoy learning
o I’ve tried a few different jobs and these have helped me learn more about myself and what I do or don’t want in a work environment than I ever learned in practice. With this new perspective, I may consider occasionally locuming again in future.
What do you most look forward to when finishing work for the day? Can you tell me a little about it?
o After a stint of fieldwork, definitely a hot shower!
o Drawing for my art project (here’s a wee article I published recently – pg.4 and the cover) https://issuu.com/nzad/docs/september_issue_2021_3_6fe71cfdf31b5b
o Climbing, mountaineering, and “tramping” (what NZ calls multi-day walks in the backcountry)
Hut drawing by Nia - More at https://instagram.com/nia_on_the_neve
And finally, what is your main worry outside work? Is there a common problem? Is there a political or social issue that you are free to talk about and interests you? Don’t worry if you prefer not to answer this question.
o I like to follow world events generally, and pay particular attention to environmental issues and equality.
o I’m really passionate about Welsh culture and language, and preserving it for the future, I’d also like to see increased devolution for Wales, so that Welsh
people can take control over their own needs without having to defer to an outside government.
One final question: What is your dream?
I dream of combining my veterinary, ecology, and outdoor skills in some kind of unicorn job! And to go along on expeditions to polar and high-altitude regions as an expedition artist….And maybe to provide free veterinary care for elderly people’s pets someday.
Some of the links mentioned in Nia’s podcast episode:
Sea lions
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/125648763/sea-lion-storms-the-field-during-football-game-in-dunedin
IG account:
https://instagram.com/nia_on_the_neve
Magazine front cover:
https://issuu.com/nzad/docs/september_issue_2021_3_6fe71cfdf31b5b